My engine was just replaced at the 49k mile mark. I had been considering selling my vehicle for a while to move to something a bit more practical and more reliable for the long haul. I really don't want to get into a discussion about the merits of keeping or selling the vehicle. I'd just like to know if anyone has been able to sell his/her car after an engine replacement.

I put my car up for sale about a month ago, and I've had 6 or 7 inquiries. I've been very honest about the engine replacement, and I've tried to put a positive spin on it by mentioning the extended engine warranty and saying how the '04s were more prone to failure due to premature engine calibration issues. However, it seems that as soon as I mention the engine replacement, people get scared away. I never heard from any of these people again after the intial contact. I think I'm asking a very fair price and it is negotiable. The car is in very good condition and running great right now.

Any recommendations for me? If I don't mention the engine replacement, how will I respond to the inevitable question that any buyer will ask: "have you experienced any major problems with it?" I don't want to mislead anyone to sell the car. That will probably lead to more problems than it's worth.

 

how much $$ are you asking? that will play a major role. Your definition of reasonable may not match the market's.

 

$14,990, which is $1500 less than KBB private party value for a vehicle in "Good" condition. Also, I checked what other people were asking for their '04 RX-8s in my area, and my asking price is among the best I've seen.

 

Sell it on the fact that an 8 with a new engine (via dealer?) is a lot better than an 8 with an engine that could go bad.

 

That's what I've been trying to do. However, I think everyone so far has decided that a different car with a piston engine is a lot better than an RX-8 with an engine that could go bad in another 40-50k miles. The warranty will cover the engine for another 3 years and 50k miles, but apparently it's not enough to make these people feel better.

 

my dealer offered me 12k for my fully loaded with navi GT. So 14k sounds about right for private party.

I think it's a hard sell, regardless if it has a new engine or not. It's simply not an economical car for a time when gas prices is $4.11 as the national average for 87.

 

That should be a good enough price to get peopel offerring at least, The car's real Private Party value is above 13k I would guess.

 

Ask yourself this question. Would you buy a car that has had it's engine replaced? While it may be a good thing in the long run or those who are familiar with the Rotary most see engine replacement as a huge flag to stay away. Almost as bad as a buyback car or even a salvage title.

You are already taking a chance buying used without a cpo warranty so why take the chance on a car that has had a major component fail?

 

Right. I understand why people would be wary of a vehicle that has had an engine replacement. I can't blame them at all. I was just wondering if anybody could suggest an approach for selling the car that I hadn't thought of. I was going to trade it in, but the dealership will only offer me between $9k and $10k, and given that the auction value is around $12.5k, I feel that I am being ripped off. The dealership let me walk away from a deal when I demanded more for my trade-in, so I believe them when they are telling me that they can't find a buyer (wholesaler or another dealership) for more than $10k. This really sucks.

 

Its not you, its the market. All our rx8's are old age ( i sell cars ) Just be patient.